EU scrambles for unity as Iran crisis exposes transatlantic rift

Brussels has shifted into crisis mode, with emergency meetings piling up Saturday and Sunday.

As European leaders raced to respond to the rapidly escalating conflict in the Middle East on Saturday after the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran, the crisis exposed fault lines inside Europe — and across the Atlantic.

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Brussels moved quickly to strike a cautious tone. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on X that the situation was “perilous,” while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed it was “of the utmost importance” to prevent further escalation. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also urged restraint.

At the national level, however, Europe’s message was less unified.

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